Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale

Right now (8:20 pm PST): about 48 minutes via SR-14 North and I-405 North, usually 48 at this time.

Only 18% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Van Nuys to Palmdale by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	45	45	47	49	50	52	51	54	52	55	55	54	52	49	47
Tue	45	46	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	49	50	53	57	60	54	52	47
Wed	45	45	45	44	45	45	47	47	48	49	52	53	51	53	51	49	46
Thu	46	46	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	51	55	62	62	56	56	51	46
Fri	46	46	46	46	46	50	53	54	56	56	55	59	57	56	56	53	47
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	54	56	52	53	50	48	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	45	46	51	61	70	71	71	56	50	47	48	47	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale (via SR-14 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 64 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (72 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (9 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys to central Palmdale along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 10:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 64 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 44 to 64 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 64 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (26 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (9 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale to Van Nuys (return trip) · Van Nuys to Los Angeles · Van Nuys to Santa Monica · Van Nuys to Pasadena · Van Nuys to Long Beach · Van Nuys to West Covina · Van Nuys to Glendale · Van Nuys to Santa Clarita · Van Nuys to Torrance · Van Nuys to LAX · Van Nuys to Culver City · Van Nuys to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	45	45	47	49	50	52	51	54	52	55	55	54	52	49	47
Tue	45	46	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	49	50	53	57	60	54	52	47
Wed	45	45	45	44	45	45	47	47	48	49	52	53	51	53	51	49	46
Thu	46	46	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	51	55	62	62	56	56	51	46
Fri	46	46	46	46	46	50	53	54	56	56	55	59	57	56	56	53	47
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	54	56	52	53	50	48	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	45	46	51	61	70	71	71	56	50	47	48	47	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	45	45	47	49	50	52	51	54	52	55	55	54	52	49	47
Tue	45	46	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	49	50	53	57	60	54	52	47
Wed	45	45	45	44	45	45	47	47	48	49	52	53	51	53	51	49	46
Thu	46	46	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	51	55	62	62	56	56	51	46
Fri	46	46	46	46	46	50	53	54	56	56	55	59	57	56	56	53	47
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	54	56	52	53	50	48	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	45	46	51	61	70	71	71	56	50	47	48	47	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	45	45	47	49	50	52	51	54	52	55	55	54	52	49	47
Tue	45	46	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	49	50	53	57	60	54	52	47
Wed	45	45	45	44	45	45	47	47	48	49	52	53	51	53	51	49	46
Thu	46	46	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	51	55	62	62	56	56	51	46
Fri	46	46	46	46	46	50	53	54	56	56	55	59	57	56	56	53	47
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	54	56	52	53	50	48	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	45	46	51	61	70	71	71	56	50	47	48	47	46